Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The 2010 Christie Sevens Preview

The first leg of the Western Union National Sevens Circuit kicks off with the Kenya Harlequin Christie Sevens taking place this weekend at the RFUEA Grounds.

Defending National Sevens Circuit champions Strathmore Leos are the tournament's first seeds and headline Pool A that also features 2008 NSC champions Mwamba RFC, dark horses Nondescript RUFC and rank outsiders Kenya Methodist University. They will be favourites to lead Pool A at the end of round robin play on Saturday and book a ticket to the main cup quarter finals. Their stiffest competition should come from Mwamba whose challenge for the 2009 title was disrupted when they pulled out of the Christies following the death of Leroy Okara after a short illness. Nondescript RUFC could just upset the apple cart and play in the main cup quarter finals but this is largely dependent on which Nondies side turns up on the day. Christie Sevens debutantes Kenya Methodist University will be out to garner as much experience as they can when they step out onto the RFUEA turf on Saturday.

Host side and defending Christie Sevens champions Kenya Harlequin FC, "Mighty Quins"' to their adoring and vociferous supporters headline Pool B with Kisumu RFC, USIU and Daystar University rounding off the list of teams in this pool. The" Mighty Quins", Christie Sevens second seeds, should top their pool without necessarily getting out of first gear. The real work for them starts on Sunday morning, assuming they will have done the obvious and secured passage to the main cup quarter finals. A lot is at stake for them, retention of their Christie Sevens title and putting points on the board, points that will put them in a good position to challenge for the 2010 National Sevens Circuit title. Kisumu RFC will probably join them in the main cup quarter, that is if they are able to comfortably dispose of USIU and Daystar during Saturday's round robin play.

Nakuru RFC was part of a trio that made the 2009 National Sevens Circuit interesting, staying in contention up to the final tournament in Mombasa. They are seeded third overall and top in Pool C alongside the University of Nairobi's Mean Machine RFC, Bungoma RFC and Egerton University. They should be in the Christie Sevens main cup quarter finals on Sunday morning alongside Mean Machine RFC.

Kenya Commercial Bank RFC are seeded fourth and headline Pool D were they renew their rivalry with Impala RFC as both sides fight for pool honors and passage to Sunday's main cup quarter finals.Homeboyz RFC, with a sprinkling of former KCB and Impala players are the third side in the pool with Eldoret's Flames rounding off the group's composition.